


A Series of Poor Life Choices

by frankieh



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Comedy, Drug Use, F/M, M/M, Script Format, The Author Regrets Everything, road trip au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 09:45:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16115858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frankieh/pseuds/frankieh
Summary: Kara gets talked into a cross-country road trip by North. A series of poor life choices follow.A script-styled fic experiment in the vein of Always Sunny and The Office. Alternate universe where everyone is human and living in 2018. Kara/Ralph mainly with Markus/North/Simon love triangle. Jerries present. I have nothing but apologies for this steaming heap.





	1. Kara Gets Talked Into A Road Trip

**Author's Note:**

> So most of this gets explained along the way, but I'll go ahead and lay down some basics for what's happening in this universe:
> 
> \- Kara is a single mom. Alice is her biological daughter. Leo Manfred is the father, but that relationship was _awful_ for obvious reasons and Kara separated from him recently with full custody of Alice. Alice honestly isn't too torn up about being around Leo less. She's happiest when she's with her mother. 
> 
> \- Connor is Kara's younger brother by a couple of years. He's in an established relationship with Hank. They met while working together in the Detroit Police Department. Connor is the best uncle in the universe and Alice loves Sumo. Hank enjoys teaching Alice things like woodworking and has actually built her a treehouse in his backyard. He kind of dotes on Connor's niece in the way he'd have doted on his late son, Cole. Alice is the light of their life.
> 
> \- Trash Man Dave shows up later. He is Ralph's identical twin brother and he is a horrible, horrible person. You will see why.
> 
> \- North and Kara have been best friends since sixth grade. Kara loves North, but she will also be the first to tell you that North is a little oblivious. North is obsessed with Markus. Markus and North are an off and on thing, but Markus has steadily been falling for their roommate, Simon. North doesn't notice this. Simon and Markus are alright with that.
> 
> \- Luther and Jerry are long-time roommates. Their last two roommates, Jerry G and Jerry B just got their own place together and moved out. So Jerry invited a coworker and his brother to be their new roommate (Ralph and Dave.) Luther regret approving of this suggestion quickly. However. Ralph and Dave are connected to local drug dealer Zlatko Andronikov, whom he's worked with in the past and knows is a very lucrative connection to have. Ralph and Dave are Zlatko's "golden boys" according to word on the street. You'll see why.
> 
> \- Santa Crysta is a fictional beach in Southern California because I didn't like any of the real-world ones I researched. It's like a cross between Santa Monica beach, Fort Bragg, and Crystal Cove state park. Apparently it's a pretty hot destination for beachside camping and just far enough away from larger cities to where you don't feel like you're just camping under some dirty San Francisco pier.
> 
> \- That should do it. Alright. Sorry, everyone who reads this.

7:37AM  
August 1st, 2018  
Detroit, Michigan

 

A small, rustic-looking coffee shop is filled with a small rush of customers getting their coffee before work. Kara works among three baristas in black aprons. Everything’s a pretty run of the mill until an excited young man comes running in calling out her name.  
  
---  
  
Jerry: KARA! KARA! KARA!  
  
Kara looks up. Jerry comes running in.  
  
Jerry: KARA.  
  
Kara: …?  
  
Jerry: Hey, hey, hey, so we’re all. We’re all doing this thing, right, this road trip thing, because you know, summer’s almost over and Jerry G comes at me like, _Hey, we should take a road trip_ , and even Luther was in on it too, like, _…yeah, let’s take a road trip._ And you know, we got these two new roommates, too, who were like, _yeah, we’re down for a road trip_ , and it all started as bullshitting around, but we’re packing up and headed out this weekend and you should _totally_ come with us, Kara, it’s gonna be _so much fun_. Oh, hey, can I get a six-shot medium iced macchiato with twelve pumps of vanilla, twenty pumps caramel drizzle and whip with extra caramel drizzle? But yeah, um, you should come with us, Kara, I think you could use the vacation, you know? Hey, wait is it too late to change that to eight-shot? I’m feelin’ kinda sleepy today, you know?  
  
Kara is keying his order into the register, nodding and listening to his rambling. She gives a strained, concerned smile.  
  
Kara: …Godspeed you, Sailor.  
  
Jerry doesn’t even pause.  
  
Jerry: I haven’t slept in like, thirty-two hours. I’m that excited, Kara. I’m _pumped. I’m so pumped._  
  
Kara: I see this.  
  
Jerry: So you should come with us! You can finally meet our new roommates, they’re such nice young lads.  
  
Kara: …nice young lads…?  
  
Jerry: And they aren’t named Jerry.  
  
Kara: I don’t know, I mean. I should really be studying…  
  
Jerry: You were literally _just_ telling me the other day how pissed you are that you’ve got nothing to do for the next week and a half.  
  
Kara: Well, I didn’t count studying!  
  
Jerry: Study in the car! We’re going to Disneyland!  
  
Kara hesitates, thinking about this.  
  
Kara: …wait, Disneyland, really?  
  
Jerry: Okay, maybe not Disneyland, but we’ll drive past it.  
  
Kara: Jerry…  
  
Jerry: Ok, so. We’re going to Santa Crysta. You in?  
  
Kara: That’s… all the way in California.  
  
Jerry: Right? It’s gonna be so much fun!  
  
Kara blinks, thinking about this, surviving the mild whiplash of being talked at by Jerry and his absolute tidal wave of enthusiasm.  
  
Jerry: Then we’re gonna go camping, Kara! Beachside camping! Have you ever been to California, Kara? There’s pirates out there.  
  
Camera zoom on Kara. She looks mildly confused and not really sure that she heard what Jerry just said. Jerry, meanwhile, looks absolutely _elated_ and dead serious about there being pirates to be had in California.  
  
Jerry: Pirates!  
  
Kara: No… No, Jerry, there… there aren’t any pirates in California.  
  
Jerry just stares for a minute, not sure if Kara’s messing with his head or not.  
  
Jerry: So you in? Come on, Leo can watch Alice, you got the time off, let’s do it, girl. Let’s _live a little_.  
  
Kara: I… alright. Okay. When do we leave?  
  
Cut to Kara, elsewhere.  
  
Kara: How I feel about this?  
  
A muffled voice off-camera answers. Kara nods and shrugs looking at the camera quite casually.  
  
Kara: I guess I feel pretty excited about it. I don’t really go out much these days. Could be fun?  
  
 


	2. Three Years Klepto-Free

Kara and North are sitting together having coffee later in the afternoon. North is excited about this road trip.  
  
---  
  
North: I’m so glad you’re finally getting out of your little bubble, Kara, you don’t even _know_ how glad I am.  
  
Kara: I don’t… I don’t have a bubble.  
  
North: You _do_ have a bubble. You’re always in this bubble. I keep telling you to get out of that bubble and live a little. Remember high school, Kara? You didn’t have a bubble then. What happened?  
  
Kara: I became a parent.  
  
North: Fair enough. But I mean… you can’t just helicopter parent yourself. This is going to be so good for you, when was the last time you went and did something crazy?  
  
Kara thinks about this. Cut to North, elsewhere as she elaborates on this. There’s a bigger story behind it.  
  
North: Kara’s kind of the practical one in our circle. She’s just a girl who doesn’t waste her time, you know? I respect that. But she used to be such a party girl, kind of a daredevil, and these days she’s really stepped back from that life. I’m trying to encourage her to live the rest of her twenties in a way she won’t regret, you know? But it’s a little hard…  
  
North narrates as the scene cuts to Kara working on the coffee bar, shaking and refilling some whipped cream cannisters. North calls out to her from across the café.  
  
North (Narrating): It’s sort of like, every time I encourage her to get just a little wild, things backfire on her. I’m not sure if it’s just bad luck or just that the universe _really wants Kara to play it safe_. And we just can’t do that.  
  
North: YEAH! SHAKE IT GIRL! GET WILD WITH THE WHIPPED CREAM!  
  
Kara gets a little excited and encouraged by North’s enthusiasm and shakes the whipped cream canister harder. The N20 charger bursts off of the cream dispenser and nails her in the face. She drops the dispenser as whipped cream spills everywhere. Her nose is bleeding.  
  
North: OH MY GOD! KARA!  
  
Cut back to North, speaking to the camera. She nods solemnly, biting one nail.  
  
North: Yeah… But you know, maybe with me around to protect her, getting a little crazy just this one time won’t be so bad, you know? I love her. She’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister and I’m determined to get her out of that, you know, that cute little protective shell she’s built around herself.  
  
Cut to outside the café, walking down the street. North is walking with Kara who’s holding her head back and a cloth over her nose.  
  
North: You good?  
  
Kara: Yeah… I think the bleeding stopped.  
  
North: Well, look at the bright side, it happened at the end of your shift.  
  
Kara: I guess.  
  
North: So hey. We’re all leaving Thursday morning. I want to ask you now, do you want to ride with me, Markus, and Simon or do you want to ride with Luther and Jerry? Speak now or hold your peace, Markus’s car doesn’t have a lot of luggage space and you know how Simon packs.  
  
Kara: Um… I don’t know. Isn’t it going to be a little awkward with you and Simon in one place for that many hours?  
  
Cut to Kara, elsewhere, as she elaborates on the backstory behind North, Markus, and Simon. She’s still nursing her bloody nose as she talks to the camera.  
  
Kara: North and Simon… I try not to be around them when they’re both around Markus. I love them both, I really do, but they honestly _both_ get absolutely insane over Markus. I honestly don’t think I could sit in a car for thirty plus hours with the two of them. Catty banter drives me up the damn wall. I don’t know how those two are even still friends.  
  
Cut to North, elsewhere, as she elaborates her side of the story re; Simon and Markus.  
  
North: Markus… is madly in love with me. But Markus is kind of a reserved and serious guy. He wouldn’t go about proclaiming it to the world, you know? And Simon… he’s a sweetheart, but he’s jealous. He’s a very jealous guy. He can’t stand me being within five feet of him because he’s obsessed with Markus, like, full on _Fatal Attraction_. He’s always getting snippy with me just for breathing the same air as him.  
  
Cut to a flashback from earlier in the day. They’re in Markus’s apartment. North and Markus are bickering about something. Simon stands at the edge of the kitchen, a plate of pancakes in hand as he just quietly glances at the camera. He says nothing. He just looks exhausted by Markus and North’s fighting. North narrates.  
  
North: No one gets along with Markus the way I do. No one _just gets_ Markus the way I do. It drives him insane with jealousy.  
  
Cut back to North walking with Kara down the street.  
  
North: It’s not going to be awkward, I promise. Besides, Simon likes you a lot. Maybe you can get him off of Markus for like. Two seconds. I need you to seduce him, Kara.  
  
Cut to Kara, elsewhere, as she elaborates on “Simon likes you a lot.” Kara shakes her head, softly grimacing.  
  
Kara: Simon’s _really gay_. Like. Not half gay. Not 2% gay. Not low-fat gay. _Whole-ass gay._  
  
Back to Kara and North walking together. North pulls Kara close as she tells her that she’s like her sister and really wants her to ride with them. Kara leans her head on North’s shoulder, they actually look really cute walking together. They’re incredibly dear friends. Kara narrates over this scene.  
  
Kara (Narrating): I think North might be in denial. But I’m not going to judge her, I’ve been told I do the denial thing every once in a while, too. I mean, it’s a natural human coping mechanism. Like kleptomania and alcoholism.  
  
Cut back to Kara as she beams at the camera.  
  
Kara: Three years klepto-free, by the way! _Go me_!


	3. Frozen Meat is Like Rocks

So later on, we move to Jerry. He’s at his apartment while some absolute chaos is going down in the background. There are two guys in the background yelling at each other. One throws a potted plant at the other. Luther comes out of his room and yells at the two of them to knock it off. Jerry is on the phone and walks past this hallway to stand on the patio.  
  
---  
  
Jerry: Yeah? Okay, but. Jerry. Jerry. Jerry. Listen, Jerry. I know. I know Zlatko’s a weird guy, but, you know, sometimes people are weird at first, but then you get to know them and… alright, but we got these guys, okay? And they’ve done this whole thing before. They know where to hide stuff, they know who to talk to, they know who to sell to, like. These guys are _good_ and we’ve got a deal with Zlatko. One of them’s that farmer I was telling you about.  
  
In the background, these two blond-haired guys can be seen in the livingroom. One has just pitched the other over the sofa and grabs a frying pan off the kitchen counter. They’re screaming at one another still. Jerry is unfazed.  
  
Jerry: Alright, so, yeah. It _is_ true that the farmer guy is a little wild, but I promise you, he’s smarter than he looks. And his brother’s like this evil genius, it’s insane. These are Zlatko’s _boys,_ you know? All I’m saying is that if you want to get two-hundred pounds over _seven_ state borders, these are your guys. Luther’s even down for it, and you know Luther doesn’t back _anyone_ unless he’s really feeling it.  
  
The guys in the background are still fighting. One actually picks up the other and pitches him over the kitchen counter. Luther comes out, yelling at them again to knock shit off. He actually grabs and restrains one, but the other stands up from behind the kitchen counter, yelling. He reaches into the freezer and starts pitching frozen meat packages at them both.  
  
Jerry: Luther is _really_ feeling it, Jerry. This is a good deal. This is pure profit. We’ve already got our buyer. Yeah, Markus is in on it, what, you think he wouldn’t be? _I’m feeling it_ , Jerry.     
  
A frozen-solid package of ground beef slams against the sliding glass door. Jerry actually jumps at this, nearly fumbling his phone.  
  
Jerry: RALPH, WHAT THE BEANS NOW?  
  
Luther: Could you give me a hand here?  
  
Jerry: I’m on the phone!  
  
Luther: I’m about to break these goddamn boys’ necks.  
  
Ralph: Start with HIM!  
  
The one restrained in Luther’s arms starts wrestling against Luther to go after Ralph. Luther growls and drags him away easily. Silence finally falls over as Jerry watches Luther and the other man leave. Jerry looks at Ralph. Ralph looks at Jerry. Jerry looks at the camera.  
  
Jerry: I promise you, the money will be so worth it. So can we use your van?


	4. Matchmaker (please don't) Make Me A  Match

So back to Kara, later on. It’s Wednesday night and she’s getting all packed, she’s got her things sorted and is on the phone with North.  
  
---  
  
North: Wow, so you got Connor to watch her instead?  
  
Kara: Yeah. I don’t really trust Leo with Alice for such a long stretch of time.    
  
North: Yeah. If it weren’t for Taco Bell, he’d starve.  
  
Kara: Right, and you know, at least with my brother, I can trust that Alice is getting to school on time, getting to bed on time, eating right, getting her daily jogs in… and Connor just loves her so much. Honestly, this all just lined up perfect, he had the time off and really wanted to see her.  
  
North: Connor’s a sweetheart. Honestly, if things didn’t work out with Markus, don’t think I wouldn’t ask you for Connor’s number.  
  
Kara winces at the camera.  
  
Elsewhere, Kara elaborates to the camera, kind of wincing at poor North’s obliviousness.  
  
Kara: Connor’s gay, too.  
  
We cut to Connor and Kara, earlier in the day. Kara had dropped off Alice at Connor’s house. Alice is happy to jump into her uncle’s arms. From the doorway of Connor’s house, Hank watches with a cup of coffee. Sumo nudges his way out and excitedly tumbles into Connor and Alice in a furry mess of slobbery Saint Bernard kisses.  
  
Kara (Narrating): Connor’s kind of private so, I mean, I don’t fault North for not noticing. I mean. His boyfriend doesn’t really act like his boyfriend much, either. They’ve got sort of a weird love-hate thing in public. But once you get to know Hank, with his dog, you know, he’s actually a really sweet guy. Apparently he doesn’t mind Alice, much either. They’re both police officers, too, so I feel like they’re just both such incredible and responsible influences on Alice. Spending a week with them is probably a million times better than a week with Leo. Connor’s such a great uncle, too, he’s always teaching her how to build things like birdhouses and dollhouse furniture, it’s so wholesome. Leo, on the other hand…  
  
Cut back to Kara, looking at the camera. She looks pretty miffed just thinking about Leo. It clearly wasn’t a pleasant breakup.  
  
Kara: Leo wouldn’t know what to even do with a hammer if it didn’t have training wheels.  
  
Cut back to Kara, packing her bags while she’s on the phone with North.  
  
Kara: Haha, yeah. I’m sure you and Connor would have a great time getting coffee or something together.  
  
North: Right? He’s always been kind of a fox. But you know, Markus and me, we’re soulmates. There’s just this connection there that I don’t think either of us are going to find in anyone else.  
  
Kara: So, um. Are we stopping at any landmarks on the way to California or is it just gonna be a straight shot?  
  
North: Well, I was saying we should hit the good sights on the way, but Luther and Markus were pretty adamant about us just getting to Santa Crysta, camping out for a few days and then getting back. I guess Luther’s work schedule is a little tighter than ours.  
  
Kara: Oh, ok, that’s cool too. Santa Crysta looks so nice in all the pictures.  
  
North: Have you never been?  
  
Kara: No, I mean. Back when my dad was around we used to camp all around the country every summer. We went to a few places in California, but it’s been years.  
  
North: Aw… yeah, I remember that. Elijah really loved camping.  
  
Kara: Yeah.  
  
North: You remember that time we all went to Algonquin and Connor got carsick and hurled blue Gatorade all over…  
  
Kara: …yeah. I remember that. I was washing blue crap out of my hair for a week.  
  
North: Ha… ah… yeah. Yeah, that… was a wild trip.  
  
Kara winces. An awkward silence falls over them.  
  
North: Anyway! So, hey, I almost forgot to tell you, the whole reason I called was to ask if it was alright if you rode with Luther on the way down?  
  
Kara: Oh… _um, no, that’s no problem at all_.  
  
North: Fantastic. See, so. I guess Luther’s new roommates, they fight a lot and I guess it’s gotten really bad the last couple of days so we decided to split them up into separate cars. You know, to save poor Luther the headache.  
  
Kara: No problem. Have I met these guys?  
  
North: Not yet, but you’re riding with the cute one. Just saying.  
  
Kara srunches up her nose as she looks at the camera.  
  
Elsewhere, Kara elaborates on this.  
  
Kara: Ever since Leo and I broke up, North has been trying to set me up with random men. At this point, when she says a guy is a “cute one” I’m just… kind of weary. I love her, but I don’t think she gets that I just _really don’t have time_ for dating. But I mean, I know she’s just trying to help. It’s a little exhausting though. The last blind date she set me up on didn’t go so well.  
  
Flashback to Kara sitting in awkward silence at like, an Applebee’s or something. Across the table, drumming his fingertips impatiently on the table is Gavin. The waiter comes, delivering to Kara a margarita and to Gavin, two shots of some hard liquor on ice. Camera zooms on Kara’s face. She looks mildly uncomfortable. As Gavin downs both shots one right after the other, Kara looks at the camera with a _wow_ expression.  
  
Kara (Narrating): See, I’m not much of a party animal and North keeps setting me up with these guys who just want to get shitfaced. I’m twenty-five. I’m a single mom trying to become an RN. I don’t have time for these thirty-something-year-old boys who think they’re still nineteen.  
  
Cut back to Kara, elaborating to the camera. She gives a weak shrug and sighs.  
  
Kara: I think North’s just a little more carefree than I am. She’s got a very different definition of “cute” than I do. When I say I’m into “boyish” good looks, I don’t mean I want to take him on as dependent.  
  
Cut back to Kara on the phone with North. Kara’s stuffing the last of her luggage into her suitcase and sits on it as she tries to get it to zip up. She may have overpacked.  
  
Kara: So by cute, what do you mean cute, like… does he have a stable job cute and like a bachelor’s degree cute or…  
  
North: Um… you know. I’m not sure. But you know, I’d _hit it_. And I think maybe you’re going about this dating thing the wrong way, like. It doesn’t always have to be about meeting your soulmate and diving into some twelve-year commitment. Just have a little fun, have a little fling you know? What happens in California stays in California.  
  
Kara: Fling…? I don’t know. I’m not really into flings and casual sex and stuff.  
  
North: Well. Maybe you should try once? Don’t knock it till you’ve rocked it.  
  
Kara squints, voicelessly repeating what North just said. She just looks confused.  
  
Kara: That… sounds like an STD waiting to happen.  
  
North: Okay, just trust me on this one. He’s cute. The other one’s cute too… but he’s kinda weird.  
  
Kara: The other one?  
  
North: Yeah, the one riding with us. I’m taking one for the team for you, girl. The other guy’s weird. This one, though, Dave, he’s so eloquent, like. Make him recite you some poetry or something, I don’t know, he just comes off like that.  
  
Kara: Like pretentious?


	5. Vaporwave and chill? (No.)

It’s early Thursday morning. Kara stands with Luther outside the apartment he shares with Jerry and his two roommates. Kara hasn’t caught the names of the roommates, really. Luther helps her shove her suitcase into the back of the van they’ve secured for the trip.  
  
---  
  
Kara: Wow, Luther, when did you get a soccer mom ride?  
  
Luther: Oh, you know. Just thought it’d be more comfortable to travel in. Rental.  
  
Kara: Hm. Nice. We could fit so many Frappuccino-sucking little softball players in this thing.  
  
Luther: Good lord. Promise me you’ll stick to just Alice.  
  
Kara: Hah. Yeah, none more for me, thanks.  
  
Jerry comes running around the side of the van, beaming and bouncing with excitement.  
  
Jerry: WE’RE GOING ON A TRIP, WE’RE GOING ON A TRIP! Hey, hey, hey, we’re stopping for coffee first, right?  
  
Kara: Hey, I’m not the one on drive-through today. By all means.  
  
Luther: I don’t wanna be stopping every five minutes for Jerry to take a piss  
  
One of the new roommates, already sitting in the back of the van, calls back to them. This is Dave. Colloquially known as Trash Man Dave.  
  
Dave: Don’t stop for coffee.  
  
Luther: You heard Dave, Jerry.  
  
Camera zooms on Jerry’s face. He looks legitimately, _actually_ kind of heartbroken. Cut to Jerry, elsewhere, talking to the camera. He still looks _so sad._  
  
Jerry: Ralph would’ve agreed with me.  
  
Cut back to everyone filtering into their cars. Markus and Luther are talking itinerary and mulling over things on their GPS devices. North leans on the back of Markus’s car. Simon quietly looks over Markus’s shoulder.  
  
Simon: We’ll get there faster on the 15.  
  
Markus: We’ll be passing through Vegas, then.  
  
Luther: We can’t pass through Vegas with Jerry.  
  
Simon looks up at Markus, curious.  
  
Simon: What happens if we pass through Vegas with Jerry?  
  
Several quick cuts to Gwen Stefani’s _Hollaback Girl_ , flashback to the last time Jerry was in Vegas. In each scene he’s progressively more shitfaced and carrying around leis, tokens, hitting slot machines, poker tables, pissing off an overpass while police officers approach and stuffing dollar bills in the bras of a few three-foot tall strippers sitting on his lap.

Cut back to Markus and Luther just quietly shaking their heads.  
  
Luther: We just can’t take Jerry through Vegas.  
  
Markus: He kinda stops being Jerry. I don’t know, it got really weird last time.  
  
Luther: We don’t take Jerry through Vegas.  
  
Simon shrugs.  
  
Simon: Alright. Fair enough.  
  
North: We ready?  
  
Markus: Yeah, just one minute, North… so straight shot there and back, then?  
  
Luther: Straight shot there and back.  
  
Markus: Alright. You got our number in case you lose us.  
  
North blows Kara a kiss.  
  
North: Good luck, sweetie.  
  
Kara smiles.  
  
Simon: Where’s Ralph?  
  
Simon, Markus, and North pause. North glances in the car. She shrugs.  
  
Markus: He’s awake, right?  
  
Luther: …he was up eating those old-ass croissanwiches earlier. That’s the last I saw of him.  
  
Dave yells from inside the van.  
  
Dave: LEAVE HIM.  
  
Luther whispers to Markus.  
  
Luther: Honestly, this is the one time I might agree with Dave, but Ralph… he’s useful.  
  
Markus nods. He heads up the stairs.  
  
Markus: I’ll go wake him up. Come on, Simon. You guys get a head start, alright? We’ll catch up.  
  
Simon sighs, following after. North looks mildly offended being left behind like that. Luther doesn’t even ask, he just gets in the car and they head out. Cut to North, elsewhere, talking to the camera.  
  
North: Honestly, the only reason Markus doesn’t bring me up there too is because I get “too mean.” I have a hard time _not_ kicking ass.  
  
So we go back to Luther’s van. Luther’s driving, Jerry rides shotgun bumping a Gwen Stefani and Lady Gaga mix playlist. Kara sits in the middle seats. Dave sits in the very back, behind Kara. Dave leans forward, looking at Kara. Kara doesn’t seem to acknowledge him.  
  
Dave: You’re a new face.  
  
Kara looks at Dave, unsure of him. Dave gives a calm and pleasant smile.  
  
Dave: I’m Dave.  
  
Kara: …Kara.  
  
Dave: …Kara. Beautiful name. It means _beloved_ , you know.  
  
Kara: Does it?  
  
Dave: It does.  
  
Kara: Neato.  
  
Kara doesn’t seem too interested. Oblivious, Dave continues to look at her with an almost worshipful expression.  
  
Dave: You look like an intelligent kind of girl. What do you do?  
  
Kara: Um. I’m into medicine. Medical student. That sort of thing.  
  
Dave: Ah, nice. Fantastic. So… you see a lot of dead and dying bodies, then.   
  
Kara looks at the camera, subtly. What the fuck, Dave?  
  
Dave: That takes a lot of courage and strength, Kara. To bestow kindness and healing upon the injured and the sick. Perhaps it is the world around you that is, truly, _the beloved_ in your eyes.  
  
Kara: Um… so you’re not gonna ask me my sign or anything?  
  
Dave laughs quietly and leans back in his seat. Kara’s just grateful that there is now a little more distance between them.

Cut to Kara, later on talking to the camera as they’re at a pit stop.  
  
Kara: Oh gosh. How creeped out am I on a scale from Jeff Goldblum to Jeffrey Dahmer? Yikes. I’m up there right now. Beyond Dahmer. Like. Charles Manson, honestly. Like, he was cute when he wasn’t talking. Now he’s talking and he won’t shut up and he’s fucking nuts.


End file.
